Filed Away but Not Forgotten
by supernaturaldh
Summary: Sam and Dean explore their Dad’s storage shed at Black Rock. They find memories, and pieces of their childhood, they had long ago forgotten. Set in Season 3. One Shot Tag to Bad Day at Black Rock.


**Filed Away, but Not Forgotten**

**By Supernatural**

**Summary:**

Sam and Dean explore their Dad's storage shed at Black Rock. They find memories, and pieces of their childhood, they had long ago forgotten.

**Timeline:** Set in Season 3. One Shot Tag to Bad Day at Black Rock.

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own them, but boy I wished I did.

**Beta** : All errors are my own.

Dean Winchester stood, eyes gazing at all the bizarre items that surrounded him. He had never thought of his Dad as eccentric, but since finding this storage building in Black Rock, he was not so sure. His father had obviously kept everything he had ever found, evil or not, and locked it up in this hidden container. It was simply amazing to him that he, nor his kid brother, had ever known about this place. _His father never ceased to amaze him. _ He shook his head lightly and let his finger rub against the edge of the bowie knife perched on a metal box. He had seen his Dad sharpen this large knife on more than one occasion. A grin rose to his lips at the memory of a run down motel, a six year old tow headed boy, and a sleeping baby nestled up against him. A child's large eyes watching a wet stone as his Daddy slid it across the large knife. He could still recall John Winchester smiling warmly at him, then easing the shiny object down for him to see, allowing his tiny fingers to touch the side of it. "Careful" his Dad had whispered. He smiled at the thought, and shifted his eyes up to glance across the dimly lit building to his brother Sam.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

So what's the deal?" Sam asks. "Dad would do work here or something?"

"Living the high life, as usual," Dean answered. He looked at the rifle propped on the shelf, and then went over and picked up a little trophy off the wall. He dusted it off and read, "First Place."

"No way," Sam says, going over and taking it from him. "That's my division championship soccer trophy. I can't believe he kept this!"

"It was probably the closest you ever came to being a boy," Dean replied, walking past him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dean Winchester exited the front door of John Roosevelt Middle School at a slight run. He made quick steps across the parking lot, the grassy front lawn, and stopped when the crossing guard leered at him and held her hand up. _Oh come on, my little brother's waiting on me. _

"Sorry kid, wait for the traffic to stop." The elder woman dressed in an orange vest squinted over at Dean. "Stay right there." Her hand rose up and pointed directly at him.

Dean huffed and rolled his eyes. He shuffled anxiously from one sneaker to the other, eyes darting across the street and watching the buses pulling slowly out of the elementary school. _Jeez, he shouldn't have talked to that girl Melinda right after class. Now, he had to wait for all the stupid buses to finish pulling out before he could get over there to find his six year old brother. _

He waited impatiently as the buses moved at a snails pace out of the parking lot and crawled down the road, blocking his view of the elementary school. He stared and squinted through the openings, looking for his little brother. He inched his foot up to the curb, and slid his sneaker down to the pavement. _He could just make a quick dash after this next bus._

"YOU, get back up on that sidewalk." The crossing guard yelled in a large hostile tone, long finger pointing directly at Dean again.

Dean's head jerked and he took a step back. _Jesus, she sure took her job seriously. _ He huffed out a heavy breath and tugged his backpack up higher on his shoulder, angry glare staring at the crossing guard.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Little Sammy Winchester's large brown eyes danced across the front lawn of John Roosevelt Elementary. _No Dean? _ He shuffled his worn tennis shoe in the dirt, and gazed around as the other kids all got on the buses, into the cars, and ran from the school. He tugged his heavy backpack behind him and squirmed beneath the weight. He slumped down onto the concrete bench, and watched as everyone left the area, eyes falling slowly to the ground, feet swinging back and forth as he mouthed lightly 'Dean's coming'. _Always wait for me Sammy. _ His big brother's voice echoed in his head.

"Hey Sam." A nasally voice rose up behind him and Sam promptly turned his head to see Teddy Ruskin, a 2nd grader, looking at him. "You staying for little league soccer try out's squirt, COM 'on we can walk to the field together."

"I….I'm waiting on my br...brother." Sam squeaked and looked at Ted.

"He'll find you. Come try out Sam, it will be fun." Ted's excited eyes glimmered at Sam, and he punched him lightly in the arm. "I need all the friends I can get on the team."

_Friends?_ Sam's eyebrows arched up in curiosity, and then he gazed around the yard, to the large yellow busses that were tugging out slowly. _No Dean_ .

Sam's face looked at the Ted, he was tall, and he was nice. Sam's backpack dragged and bumped across the ground behind him, his little legs hurrying as fast as possible, to keep up with his new friend. "Are we friends?" He queried at Teddy, large, curious eyes looking across at him.

Teddy smiled at the little guy, and reached around his shoulder, tugging him in closer. "Jeez you're short Winchester."

Sam smiled. _A friend, he had never had a friend before. They never stayed anywhere long enough for him to call anyone 'friend'. _

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dean's feet flew, sneakers pounding against the street as he glared at the crossing guard. _What a bitch. _ His eyes zipped up and down the front of the elementary school to the bench he normally found his little brother parched on. His heart began to thud in his ears. _No Sammy, no Sammy, where was Sammy?_ He stumbled as he spun around slowly, eyes looking for his mop top little brother. _Don't go anywhere Sam. Wait for me Sammy. He was so killing the little twerp when he found him._

Dean walked slowly around the side of the school building, eyes taking in everything and everyone. _Where was his brother? _ His eyes fell to a small brown head in the distance, fingers cinched around the fence, body leaning heavily against the metal; backpack plopped down by his shoes. He recognized his little brother right off and began to jog over to meet him. _He was sure getting a big ole talking too. Worrying him like that. _ Before he could get to Sammy, he saw him moving around the wire fence and onto the soccer field. _Wait, what was Sammy doing, he didn't know the first thing about soccer? _ Dean's gate slowed as he grew closer to the fence. He was going to yell at his little brother, but Sam was holding the soccer ball precariously in front of him, as the older man explained the high points of soccer and told him to drop and kick the ball in the net. Dean stood awestruck as his little brother's foot connected immediately with the ball and it sailed through the air and into the net. Yelling and screaming coming from all the other kids standing on the field.

_Holy crap, I didn't know Sammy could do that. _ Dean's lips curled up in a large grin.

"Wow Sam." Teddy shrieked.

The coach smiled broadly.

Dean glanced over at Teddy. _Hey, he knew that kid, he was always hanging around Sammy at lunchtime._ Dean watched as Sam jumped up and down and he couldn't help but yell. "Go Sammy." He clapped loudly, and gave Sam two large thumbs up.

Sam heard his older brother's voice and he whipped around to look toward the sound, grinning broadly when he saw Dean's thumbs up, "Hey De….look…look…I did it, I got the ball in the net." Sammy said excitedly.

"Great Sammy." Dean yelled loudly, thrilled that his little brother had not only kicked the ball, but actually got it in the net and scored. He sprinted toward his little brother, listening as the coach started talk to his brother.

"Well, kid, looks like you made the team. Here's the information. Get one of your parents to sign the permission slip. The uniforms are paid for by Joe's Pizza Shop, so there is no expense. First games on Saturday right here, 10:00." The coach stuffed a green piece of paper into Sam's hand.

Sam looked wide eyes at the man in front of him, "I…I don't think I can…can play." Sam stuttered out. _Dad won't let me play._

"Sure you can son, you're good." The coach grinned as Dean walked up to stand beside his brother, his arm gliding in behind Sam's back, giving him a slight hug.

"I was looking for you little brother." Dean said firmly. His face darted from his wide eyed brother to the coach.

"You're kid brother is good. I want him on the team." The coach nodded firmly.

"Well, we have a lot going on. OurDadtravelsalot. Wegooutoftownonweekends." Dean's words rushed out in one large breath as he pulled Sammy away from the coach. His eyes gazed at Sam, who slumped down in a self depreciating motion.

The coach just looked at them, funny grin on his face. "Look kid, you can give me every excuse you got, but I will go talk to your Dad, because you're brother here has a lot of potential."

Dean blinked. _Shit_ . "No, no, Sam will be here on Saturday." _Dad won't be here most Saturdays anyway. If he can just get him to okay it, he could take care of the rest._

Dean nudged Sam away from the coach and toward the fence line and his backpack.

"Dean, can I really play soccer, can I, can I? You think Dad will be okay with it? Can I, huh?"

"We'll see Sammy." Dean shook his head as he grabbed his little brother's hand and lead him away from the soccer field, feeling the excitement radiate off his kid brother, and the dread of having to ask their Dad rising up in him.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Yea Sam, I remember when you got that trophy." Dean offered with a smile.

"Yea, I remember you sticking up for me with Dad, till he gave in. I remember you taking me to all my practices and the games on Saturday. Because of you, I got to play. Thanks, man." Sam nodded and sat the trophy back to the dirty desk, moving in the dim light away from Dean.

"You're welcome, Sammy." Dean whispered lightly, he turned hastily away from his younger brother, his eyes blinking back the moisture that had suddenly accumulated there.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sam's fingers shuffled through the box of old junk. _Or at least it was crap to him._ His hand rummaged around, and then rested against something soft and cuddly. _What the hell was that?_ He moved the candles, screwdrivers, blanket and electrical cords aside and clasped the tattered object stuffed near the bottom of the box, yanking it harshly out into the open. His eyes blew wide, his mouth falling slack in awe. "Dinky?" He murmured.

Dean's grin broadened as he stepped toward his little brother, eyes growing large at Sam's new find. "Is that….Dinky?" Dean said hesitantly, eyes rolling up to his little brother's face.

"I think it is." Sam gleamed as he held the scruffy stuffed dog closer to his face and looked keenly at it.

"Remember, you used to drag that thing around everywhere?" Dean mused, a light chuckle coming from his lips.

"Yeah, and I remember it just vanished one night. You and Dad telling me that we left it at the some motel we stayed at." He cocked his head at an angle, eyes gazing at his older brother. "Dean? You lied to me?" Sam stated, sounding more like five than twenty five.

"Looks like he lied to both of us, kiddo; I was the one who had to stay up and rock your ass to sleep for two weeks straight when Dinky disappeared." Dean shook his head and smiled as he watched Sam stuffing Dinky in his coat pocket. "Sam?"

I want to keep it Dean. I'll just put it in the trunk of the Impala; you'll never know it's even there." Sam shrugged his shoulders, a wide eyed, puppy dog look, on his face.

"Whatever, Sammy." Dean rolled his eyes at his kid brother, smirk resting on his lips; he continued moving objects around in the dimly lit shed.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dean stepped around the ratty couch that was pressed against the back wall as his foot thudded harshly against an object stuffed beneath it. He gazed down at the old tarnished box that rested on the filthy floor. He leaned down and retched it up, turning it slightly in his hand and giving it the once over. It was an old metal box, the lock broken off from wear. He moved his arm across the old couch and pushed the newspapers, blankets, and various crap to the floor in one swift movement, and eased down to set on the tattered cushions. He lifted open the top of the box. He blinked harshly as a face stared back at him. _Mom? _

A small freckle faced boy smiled up from the picture, plopped happily on his mother's lap, fingers wiggling in her face. _Dean's lips curled up, he remembered this. _

_o-o-o-o-o-o-o_

Piercing blue eyes darted out the window of the black Impala as it rolled to a stop. Eager fingers gripped at the seatbelt and tugged as excitement raced through the little body.

"Daddy, are we at the ocean?" Four year old Dean spouted as his father reached over and relinquished the tiny fingers from the seatbelt. Little eyes danced with excitement as they dashed out the window and across to the water.

"No Dean, it's a lake. Look there son, ducks." John smiled at his happy faced boy. "Hold on, wait a minute. I'm getting you out." John smile widened, fingers scrambling to release his oldest son from the confines of the seatbelt; the boy's legs bouncing up and down, shoes anxiously hitting the car seat.

"Look Mommy, a ducky." Dean's feet scrambled for the ground, short legs running, finger pointed eagerly toward the water. "Quack quack, Sammy, see the duckies." His large eyes gazed over to his sleeping baby brother, clutched in his mother's arms. Mary Winchester smiled.

"Dean, slow down, come're." John motioned for the four year old as he laid the blanket out on the grass, Mary easing the sleeping baby down to rest on the comforter.

John's large hand swooped down and grabbed Dean, sitting the fidgeting boy onto the cover by his mother. Dean blinked wide eyed at his Mom, Mary tugging him up to her lap, pointing at the ducks that floated by.

"And how many ducks do we see?" She grinned at Dean as she helped him count on his chubby little fingers.

"One, twoooooo, twree duckies." Dean large eyes beamed over at his Dad, who clicked the picture of him twirling his fingers in front of his mother's face, wide grin curled up on his eager face.

_Yes, he remembered. _ A smile floated to his lips.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"What you smiling at?" Sam eased up next to his brother and plopped down on the lumpy old couch, fingers grasping into the box that Dean had clutched in his lap.

"Just pictures." Dean grinned. "Look at you." He chucked, twisting a picture from the box and holding it for Sam to see.

"Hey, I know when that was taken." Sam giggled as he grabbed the picture from Dean's hand, glaring at it closely.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Oh come on John, it's only a church carnival. We won't be 3 hours tops, and then you guys can head out. There are games, rides, cotton candy. The boys will love it", Pastor Jim Murphy eyed the man sitting in front of him closely, hoping he was getting through that hard head. _This kids needed to have a little fun every once and awhile. They were like little soldiers, for Christ's sake….it drove him nuts..._

Dean and Sammy sat quietly at the kitchen table; cereal bowls half empty, spoons stopping midway to their mouths as they heard the words escaping from Pastor Jim's lips. They watched as he winked at them both.

"Can we, can we…..pwwwsss, Daddy?" Sammy's three and a half year old fingers dropped the spoon with a loud clunk against the table, body physically hopping up and down in the seat. The chair wobbled precariously, and Dean jumped up and placed his hands against the sides to hold it steady.

"Jez Sammy, be still." Dean rolled his eyes at his little brother, then darted them back to his Dad and Pastor Jim. _It would be nice to take Sammy some where fun, instead of trying to entertain him in some stuffy motel room all day._

"Now see what you started, damn it Jim." John huffed out, as he dropped the newspaper to the table, yanking up his lukewarm cup of coffee, and giving Jim a disgusted look.

"My boys don't need to go to no damn carnival. We got a hunt I have to get to." John Winchester watched as his youngest eyes went from gleaming, anxious, to sullen, and sad in one brief moment, large orbs filling with teardrops as he pouted up and crossed his little arms across his chest.

"Daddy pwwwesss, I wanna gwo." Sam whined, his tiny thumb moving quickly up and sticking into his quivering lips.

John's head shook in a no motion, as he glared from Pastor Jim to his boys. He looked down at the floor. He eased his head up, as his voice whispered and then roared, a large smile decorating his face. "Ok…Okay….OKAY." John reached his large hands down, and lunged up his youngest spinning him around and around. Sam's face contorted up into a happy smile, giggles rolling off his lips.

Jim winked at Dean and tugged the older boy closer in a light hug. Dean laughed, as Sammy's happy giggles echoed around the room.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dean watched as Sammy's face lit up like the sun, wide eyes taking in everything about the carnival. He laughed as his little brother tugged and pulled them from one ride to the next, eagerly wanting to see it all. It made him happy to see Sammy smile, his Dad relaxed and having a good time. _Pastor Jim was just the best._

Sam stopped in front of the shooting range, little fingers pointing up at the guns. "Wook Daddy, I bet you can dwoo that?"

John smiled broadly, and Dean snickered, his little brother sure made his Dad's day right there. Pastor Jim rolled his eyes.

John's fingers reached down and ruffled his youngest brown mop top, "You want me to win you a prize, Sambo?"

"Yes, yes, pweese." Sammy squealed with delight, hands clapping excitedly.

Dean reached down and picked his eager little brother up. "Can you see okay now little man?" Dean whispered in his ear. Sammy smiled, and laid his head down tiredly to rest against his older brother's neck, giving him a sleepy nod.

Dean grinned at the sticky pink cotton candy adorning Sam's face, the ketchup and mustard that was dribbled down his chin. _The kid was a mess, but man was he having a good time. _

Dean eased up next to Pastor Jim and watched as his Dad shot three bulls eyes right in a row, winning the large stuffed zebra for his brother. John's face was ecstatic as he turned to give the zebra to Sammy. His brother's wide smile gleaming up at his Dad, although his sleepy head never left Dean's shoulder, his little fingers gripped the stuffed toy tightly to his face.

John eyed his youngest, and then smiled at Dean. "I think it's time to go now."

Dean nodded silently and smiled back at his Dad.

"Wait, there's one more thing." Pastor Jim spoke up quickly, the oldest two Winchesters turning to look at him. "There's a picture booth, come on, lets get a picture."

"Aw Jim, Sammy is already going to sleep, lets just forget it." John turned to go.

"Nope, ain't leaving here without one. So, suck it up Winchester." Jim reached over and tugged John's large body back the other direction.

Dean grinned, and nuzzled his chin down into his little brother's sleepy head. Sam snuggled up against his brother, tiny arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

The line wasn't long, and in mere moments, the tired foursome was standing in front of the camera, a goofy guy in glasses trying to get Sammy to smile. The littlest Winchester was not cooperating, and simply gave the man a firm pout, and clung to his older brother, sleepy eyes tugging closed.

"Told you this was a waste of time", John nudged Jim as his eyes fell to his sleeping son.

The photographer sneered at the group, "HEY KID… wake up, you're getting your picture made."

John's head tilted, eyes glaring heatedly at the geek with the camera.

Dean laughed; there was no way Sammy was waking up for this guy.

The photographer gave up and snapped the picture. Pastor Jim was smiling brightly. Dean's laughing eyes beaming at the camera, smirk resting on his lip. Little Sammy nuzzled up against his older brother, sound asleep, zebra against his sticky face; and John Winchester, he was leering irritably at the camera.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"It was a fun day. I barely remember it." Sam grinned down at the group picture and laughed. "Dad sure looked pissed."

"Yea, I thought he was going to knock the shit out of that photographer." Dean cackled as Sammy let the picture flutter down into the box.

Sam shuffled his large hand around, until Dean finally just shoved the box over and let his little brother have at it.

A large smile decorated Dean's lips as he watched Sammy enthusiastically dig through the pictures.

"See there, we did have a childhood." Dean laughed, and Sam chuckled next to him. He eased back against the couch and waited, knowing Sammy would find some other memory that he had filed away long ago, but never quite forgotten.

End!

19


End file.
